Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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What is Eli?

Eli is a supplemental newborn screening service that screens for additional treatable conditions, giving your baby the happiest, healthiest start. Eli extends beyond the newborn screening performed in state public health programs to screen for 32 additional conditions and risks. Eli requires both a dried blood spot (DBS) and saliva sample from your child. The minimally invasive saliva and dried blood spot (DBS) collections are performed by a doctor or nurse at the first visit to your pediatrician. The DBS collection follows the same guidelines for standard newborn screening DBS collected in the hospital soon after your child’s birth. The saliva sample is used for cytomegalovirus (CMV), all other tests use the DBS sample.

Eli is partnered with Genome Medical, a national network of genetic experts, including genetic counselors, geneticists, and primary care physicians, to authorize the test and provide guidance and counseling along the way.

What is newborn screening?

In the United States, nearly every child is screened for a set of medical conditions shortly after birth, commonly known as newborn screening (NBS). This public health program helps identify babies who may be at an increased risk for serious, but treatable, conditions in childhood.

Most babies who are born with these conditions appear healthy. Without early screening, a condition may not be discovered until symptoms appear and during this time damage may already be happening inside your baby’s body. Thus by the time symptoms appear it may be too late to prevent serious health consequences. Postnatal screening helps parents and pediatricians and hospital health care workers identify conditions early in life, so that treatment can be started as early as possible.

Each state determines which conditions babies will be screened for, so different states test for different conditions. In general, most states screen for at least 31 conditions that are recommended by the federal government and 26 additional secondary conditions. There are 35 conditions on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel. You can learn more about newborn screening and which conditions your state screens for at babysfirsttest.org.

What is supplemental newborn screening?

Eli is al newborn screening service offered by Baebies. Eli screens for over 30 additional conditions in order to supplement the screening regularly performed by state public health laboratories. Eli is for parents who seek to know as much as they can about their baby’s health and wellbeing. Eli is additive, not repetitive, to the conditions screened for by state public health laboratories.

What are the benefits of supplemental newborn screening?

For expecting and new families, Eli offers the knowledge you need to make informed decisions about your child’s health, and the peace of mind so you can embrace the joy of this exciting time. Eli newborn screening helps identify additional treatable conditions, enabling earlier treatment for better health outcomes. By providing a simple test, results within a week, and genetic counselors to help guide care, Eli is supporting parents and empowering families to live their happiest, healthiest lives.

How is Eli different or similar to state public health newborn screening?

Most states screen for at least the conditions on the federal government’s Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (or RUSP). States may test for additional conditions on a state-by-state basis. The scope of state public health newborn screening varies depending on which state you live in. However, all state newborn tests differ from Eli in four key ways:

Eli extends beyond the newborn screening performed in state programs.

Eli screens for many conditions that are not on the RUSP and for those conditions that are on the RUSP, but not yet being tested in some states.

Eli uses targeted next generation DNA sequencing and a set of biochemical tests for 29 of the 32 conditions on the Eli panel, to analyze your baby’s genes. These are genetic conditions, including conditions that are not detected by standard carrier screening or prenatal tests.

Eli screens for conditions caused by mutations that occur only in egg or sperm cells, called de novo (new) mutations, and these types of genetic changes can’t be detected by carrier screening. For this reason, Eli screening can provide useful information about your child’s health, even if you have had extensive carrier screening or prenatal testing.

WheRE is Eli available for purchase?

Eli is available for purchase in 45 states. Eli is currently not available for residents of California, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania or Rhode Island. We cannot accept samples originating or collected in those states at this time.

What does Eli screen for?

Eli screens for a panel of 32 conditions, including relatively common conditions like congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) which is present in 1 of 140 babies and rare diseases like San Filippo and Pompe Disease. We’re actively expanding the number of conditions on the panel based on the latest medical developments and breakthroughs. When it comes to the future of your newborn and your family, you can be confident that Eli delivers the most advanced and reliable screening. A complete list of conditions can be found here.

How does Eli work?

Eli makes it simple. Order your kit any time before your due date or soon after your child’s birth (the tests are most effective within the first 21 days of life). Bring the kit to your newborn’s first pediatric visit. Your trusted nurse or doctor will do the sample collection and send the samples to our lab in the provided, postage-paid box. You’ll have the results in a week or less, giving you the information you need to make informed decisions about the health of your precious new arrival.

Is Eli a prenatal test?

No. Eli is newborn screening performed on babies after they are born, typically within the first several weeks of life.

Who is Baebies?

Eli is grown by Baebies, a company on the forefront of digital microfluidics technology. The Baebies technical team are leaders in their fields, focused on developing technologies that allow for the earliest, most accurate detection of treatable conditions. That means Eli can give you peace of mind, catch serious conditions and disorders, and help ensure more babies have healthier outcomes. At Eli, we’re concerned that more than 100 million babies born worldwide each year are not screened for even the most basic treatable congenital disorders. Catching those conditions early is the key to the best possible outcomes.

Who is Genome Medical?

Genome Medical is a telegenomics company with a national network of genetic experts, including genetic counselors, geneticists, and primary care physicians. The specialists at Genome Medical will provide expert guidance throughout your testing journey by reviewing your baby’s medical information and authorizing the test. Pre-test consultation with a licensed and certified genetic counselor via phone or video is also available if you have questions prior to undergoing the test. Additionally, genetic counselors are available to discuss your baby’s results with you.